I Can See!

[John Hart]

Now that I'm getting up in years, I find it harder and harder to do close-up work. I think that's why I struggle with finials. I can't see them!!

I needed a magnifier, but I didn't feel like spending the money. Sooooo, since I have more junk laying around than one human should have, I went huntin' for stuff.

I found an old articulating lamp that wasn't doing anything, and a big ol' magnifying glass that I got at the dollar store years ago.

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I tore the lamp part apart and had to figure out a way to install the magnifier and still allow it to rotate. The rotating mechanism needed to be drilled out of there. (that's not a screw....some kind of snap mechanism)
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Next, I had to turn a wood insert that would fit inside the magnifier handle and be able to rotate in the swivel collar thingie.
I chose rosewood because it's dense and strong.....and, umm....I still had a piece already on the lathe from making a finial earlier :)
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So I turned it to match the multi-step inner diameter of the collar, and the inner diameter of the magnifier.
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Then I drilled and tapped the smaller section, and glued the piece to the magnifier
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Then I fit the collar to it, and screwed it in place. It had a very nice friction fit, but the screw really snugged it up nicely.
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Continued........

[John Hart]

So then I put it all back together
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Cleared away a spot on the bench and drilled a hole.
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And Rock-n-roll!!!!
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And looky....you can see stuff!!!
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Thanks for lookin; :)

[Steve bellinger]

John that's neet i might just have to borrow that as my old eyes ain't as good as they used to be ether.:(

[Raymond Sprouse]

Great idea John. Might have to do something like that too.

[bob svoboda]

What? You need to see stuff? Hooda thunk it. Cool project.

[John Keeton]

Hey Hart, do you squeak when you walk!?!?!?;) Pretty neat idea, and good use of "junk". I love my lighted magnifier....but, I elected to turn loose of the $35.:o:D Just call me a spendthrift.

Another thought, too. I just bought 2 pair of full lens magnified safety glasses from Brownell. One of the only places I could find the full lens style. For me, I had to get the 3.0, but they really are nice - and, I look cool in my Bionic with my slick safety glasses!:cool:

[David E Keller]

That's a great idea! Imagine all the claro walnut you can buy with the money you saved.

I need to find a nice articulating light to mount on my lathe, but I haven't had time to research them. I was offered an old OR light which would have been too cool, but the replacement bulbs for those things are several hundred bucks each... Not cool!

[Steve Schlumpf]

Pretty cool idea there John! Was going to give you all sorts of grief about your next project being hand brakes for your walker or something... but then I thought... Hey, I could use something like that! Then the old part really kicked in... Hey!!! You already have one of those and use it when turning finials! Duh...

Ah, looking forward to seeing your next project!!!

[charlie knighton]

John, thanks for sharing, you need to take more vacations so i can learn stuff

[Faust M. Ruggiero]

Woops!! There went that excuse. No more blaming poor eye sight for finials that don't turn out. However, I expect you can make perfect finials with your eyes closed. Now you can appreciate your own finished product better.
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[Jamie Donaldson]

There are magnifier/light combinations for not too much coin, and I have several with the round fluorescent tubes in my shop- on the grinder is a critical place to see what we old folks can't see with just our trifocals!

[John Hart]

Thanks everyone. This worked out really well. I made a finial for my last project and never felt that I would experience a catch....which is a really weird feeling for me!! I may look into the super cool magnifier safety glasses, John. I don't think I can make those :)

Jamie....Yup...that's true. I know that there are lots of solutions out there for very little money...and frankly, I'd recommend buying something rather than making it.....But, for me....I'm a hard-core do-it-yourselfer and I'm always on the lookout for a little something to make. That's probably why most of my tools are homemade.

Thanks again!!